Announcing A Light In Every Town

Torchbearers at a recent WaterFire event. Photograph by Mike Hayes.

A Campaign to Have a Volunteer Representative from all 39 Cities and Towns in Rhode Island

WaterFire Providence is announcing A Light In Every Town, a campaign to connect communities across Rhode Island through the power of volunteerism. Presently, WaterFire boasts volunteers hailing from 35 out of Rhode Island’s 39 towns, as well as dedicated individuals from neighboring states, including Maine, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. WaterFire is currently seeking volunteers from four of the remaining cities and towns to achieve full representation. The municipalities include Charlestown, New Shoreham (Block Island), North Smithfield, and Richmond.

“The community spirit imbued in the production of each WaterFire lighting and all of our programming at the WaterFire Arts Center is a testament to Rhode Island’s unity, with volunteers and supporters representing every corner of our state. Our diverse volunteer team demonstrates that WaterFire truly belongs to all Rhode Islanders, fostering a sense of togetherness. Together, we illuminate the spirit of our state, inviting everyone to be a part of this unique experience,” says Peter A. Mello, Managing Director + coCEO of WaterFire Providence.

Volunteering with WaterFire is a flexible and rewarding experience for volunteers of all ages, offering opportunities during the week, and a choice between volunteering at the WaterFire Arts Center or at WaterFire lightings. Volunteer roles encompass a wide range of activities, including feeding fires, serving as gallery docents, participating in woodpile workouts, and engaging with visitors from around the globe.

To become part of this extraordinary artistic journey and proudly represent your town, interested individuals can sign up as volunteers at volunteer.waterfire.org. By joining, you’ll not only contribute to the legacy of an iconic Rhode Island tradition but also forge deeper connections within your community. There are currently two full WaterFire lightings left in the 2023 season; Saturday, October 14, and Saturday, November 4.

2023 A Light In Every Town Volunteers

Photographs by Tom Backman, Jen Bonin, John Nickerson, John Simonetti, Barnaby Evans, Erin X. Smithers, Erin Cuddigan, Alyson Lowney, William Ricci, Drew Christhilf, Jeff Meunier, and Kevin Murray.

About the author

Tim Blankenship

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I've worked at WaterFire Providence since 2003. For the first 9 years of my career, I worked in the Production Shop learning all of the details that go into the physical production of the event. In 2012 transitioned to the role of managing WaterFire's social media and web presence. I now head up WaterFire Providence's digital projects including, web, social, databases, and our physical IT infrastructure.